Part 18 (1/2)

The officer rode up to my side a little later and entered into a conversation I treated him the same as I had treated the boy, and when he left me he was almost overpowered with curiosity

I now discovered that one of the guards was the on e crossed the Sulphur Fork of Red River We talked together, but he did not recognize ht not After bothering hi crossed Sulphur Fork together, when he said that he had been suspicious of us at the time This was so h at hi back to interview ree by talking fainary plan of an underground railroad This caused the officers to beco serious When a detail was finally sent to take me before the officer in coh, and, when questioned, I explained how I had become acquainted, on a previous runaway trip, with the people and places spoken of so fahter and soro suffrage and equality, at ti the pleasures to cootme talk, and evidently saw that I said more than I meant in some ways; yet I told many truths--which made them mad--about the actual practice by Southern whites of equality with negroes, as evidenced by the thousands ofthem

Another source of aht by sleeping away frouard line as I could

The guards would reet mad, but I would blarney them a little and say that I had money on my person which I was afraid my companions would steal, and that I wanted to keep close to them for protection They could not reasonably object to this, but it made them keep an eye on me in particular, and the various characteristics of the different men were a constant source of study and as on this journey were of a kind that keptto divert my mind from reflections To have escaped twice and been recaptured each tih, especially when one venture had been so nearly a success, and the failure through treachery of the last atteet away had seeimental comrades file before me on their way to home and friends, while I was sent back to confinement, was the proverbial last straw--only, in this case, it did not break the camel's back; but it was a close call

I had no interests in Ca to sacrifice for the sake of being at home or with my men, and the Confederacy elcome to my rations if they would dispense with my presence; but, while , was insisted upon so strongly as being necessary for the good of the country, I really could not leave the good people, not even for the sake of personal pleasures

Talking to myself in this hen reflections crowded uponevery opportunity to aot the caned myself to the inevitable

We finally reached the familiar stockade at Tyler, and about 250 of us were in line e fell in for roll-call Each man entered the stockade alone as his name was called

As before described, the entrance of prisoners was a noisy occasion, and one scene was very much like another; but, when I stepped into the enclosure, there was a movement of surprise and then a dead silence

Most of the e was co iht about silence al particularly joyful anyway, and had had hard work to keep up my spirits on the road, so that this evidence of syether

Soon after e Commissioner I was fahs, etc, and, as before stated, I could i As the new men in the place becaed with requests for different papers that would facilitate egress or escape

The older prisoners were not as anxious for escape as the younger, or, rather, newer ones, as they had seen so many failures and punish before they risked an atteet theive any papers they wanted, leaving to theh business was conducted about as follows:

A man would come torecapture after escape I would make out a written application from him to his captain for a leave of ten, twenty or thirty days, in which was stated the necessity for his going ho, which all Confederate soldiers then needed

On the back of this application would appear the approval of his captain, colonel and brigade commander, as well as the final and effective endorses, all the endorses, which was completely counterfeited by the adjutant of the 77th Ohio Thus being fortified with legal authority to return to his regih, the prisoner would endeavor to appear as a dutiful Confederate soldier going to the front, get out as best he could, after receiving careful instructions as to his route and actions, and take his chances of success

My escapes and experiences were talked over, and thedesired, the accidental character of our captures not being regarded as any reflection upon my ability in the attempts to escape

A Colonel Jamison was now the coht us in related to hie and equality, which amused him very much

One day he sent for ht hear some of my talk on these subjects I evaded the topics as well as I could, but ave o in and out at will, with twenty e of it to escapeit was that anted to swireens and take proper exercise

A few days later, as tenunder this pass in a creek about half a ro boys watching us I told the o ahead with their fun while I talked with the boys One of these youngsters was about fourteen years old and the other nineteen They kneho I was and all aboutuard around, but I told them that I was out on parole and could not They then told e of the horses of the major at headquarters, and that I could at any ti me the cabin where they lived and where I could come for this assistance

I told the boys that I would take the first chance I had to get out without breaking parole, and they left reatly excited at the prospect, for I no the country so well that I had little fear of not being able to make my way to Little Rock with such assistance as I knew I could get along the road

When ent back to the stockade I prepared some despatches from Kirby Smith to Gano, and planned the whole route and systeet out at night, get my uniform and horse, and ride for Dooley's Ferry despatch-bearer, takingsufficient to carryall that had been said to uard who had letArkadelphia on the return trip--I figured that I couldhere and there on the way to feed and rest, and having an easy tiro boy pro as possible, by pretending that the aniotten loose and strayed away, so that it was reasonable to assu the animal to render futile any pursuit frouards My despatches should take care of any ordinary obstacle in my way to the river, and, with e person or persons likely to be met, I felt confident that only an accident or extraordinary stoppage could upset my plans Dooley would knohen I referred to Captain Payne, and e of Red River was assured if I reached that point, while he would also direct me to the captain's place, some ten or fifteen miles ahere I would be certain of concealhbor, who had sons in the Federal aret me within our lines, with the assistance of horses froether, I could al was feasible, and I was anxious to try it, scarcely being able to sleep at nights for thinking about it